Written Tuesday May 27th, at 11:30 PM
Upsets Do Happen sadly:
When I look at the end of spring sports, it’s shocking to
see that Track and Softball only remain. However when it came to this senior
class especially in Baseball, they have had their ups and downs but what
happened on Monday it ended up being a pitching duel and I remember having a
conversation with Oakland Press MIPrepzone coordinator Keith Dunlap about Lake
Orion’s hitting.
“They have the pitching but the hitting is a mystery” he
said. Well that lack of hitting ended up costing the Dragons in a shocking 1-0
loss to Waterford Kettering in the pre district at Lake
Orion.
The Dragons lose two good pitchers in Brad Schaenzer and Josh
Bays. Schaenzer will head to Kentucky
while Bays will head to Western Michigan next season.
The game ended up being a pitching duel but the Dragons had
their chances, they left the bases loaded in the third inning and had an opportunity
in the sixth inning but couldn’t convert. Waterford Kettering found a way to
win that game and is moving onto face Clarkston. Lake
Orion ended up winning the Red but
this season clearly was a disappointment in Dragon standards.
Red Champs reign supreme over Kensington Champs:
When I look at the Lake
Orion softball team in their first
round pre district game against Waterford Kettering, I seen a team that had won
the Red and then exploded in a 12-1 rout of the Kensington Lakes Athletic
Association champions but the score was much closer than indicated at Lake
Orion.
The Dragons were leading 3-1 with two outs in the top of the
seventh inning Lake Orion exploded behind Rachel Dolland, Kayla Knoblock and
crew scoring nine runs in that half of the inning sending 13 hitters, putting
the game out of reach. The Dragons will move on to the district semifinals and
take on Clarkston. The Wolves will be without top hitter and pitcher junior
Candace Kitchen whom sprained her ankle and is out for the postseason after she
hurt it against Troy Athens. Clarkston however is still a dangerous team and
likely Madeline Maday will pitch against the Dragons.
Basketball Division’s Out:
The new divisions for basketball could be a nightmare as if
anybody can ask for this winter. When you look at both divisions they will be
very tough. The Dragons could be there with anybody come next season.
The boys is loaded when you look at it coming next winter. Lake
Orion will be playing in the White
but in their division will be teams that will be very good heading into the
season. In their division will be Oak Park,
Troy, Troy Athens, Pontiac,
and Rochester. Oak Park
and Troy Athens will have size and experience. Pontiac
comes down from the Red but is always talented. Troy
is well Troy, Rochester could struggle again this season. This could be a long season in the
boys but the division will make them better come playoff time in a district
that might have Clarkston and Rochester Adams in it.
The girls could look interesting especially with most of the
teams staying in the White, Lake Orion
should know. West Bloomfield and Avondale will move down
from the Red but Troy, Bloomfield
Hills, and Oxford will be in the
White along with Lake Orion
this upcoming season. The road for the girls maybe well light say easier than
the boys road but the girls will be in the division race all season but the
league like I said is going to be a good one, I can see four teams in this race
all year long.
New Coach but familiar face:
Dragons Volleyball will have a new coach this upcoming fall
but a familiar face will be on the bench as well. Tony Scavarda takes over the
Varsity program left by Coach Ross Talbott after two successful seasons behind
the bench. Scavarda coached the junior varsity last season and will have his
work cut out for him after two tough district playoff losses to Clarkston since
going to the State Finals in 2011.
The varsity should be talented this season, led by Rachel
Giwa and Hannah Murdock, both will be seniors but consistency will be an issue
with this team as well as the transition period with Scavarda, all transitions
has to happen during the season. The league is interesting this coming fall. I
can see the Red being a four team race between the Dragons, Clarkston because
of Taylor Dellinger, Bloomfield Hills because of talent, and Birmingham Seaholm
because of their experience and good coaching in Heather Lippert.
Cheerleading Update:
The Lake Orion
cheerleading team last season had to overcome adversity in going west and
eventually going back to the delta plex. Now Nikki De Avla takes over the reins
of the team this season from her mother Nancy and as always the cheer program
should be very good again this upcoming fall and winter.
Wrestling gets new coach and new division:
After months of competing in the vicious Red the Dragons
will move to the White for Wrestling also add the fact that they will have a
new coach this winter. Jeff Smart will take over the program for Cory Kuzinci.
Kuzinci will be the new wrestling coach at Waldon next winter. Smart coached at
Stoney Creek last season, will inherit a pretty good team and also familiarity is
also important concerting that he is a football coach in the junior varsity
level.
OAA and Media Day:
This will be the first season that the OAA will have a media day. It will take place on August 8th at Rochester High School. The Dragons Den will give you complete coverage of every coaches thought including Dragons Coach Chris Bell.